


The Wait

by RulerofPurple



Category: Interstellar (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, and I love this movie, mann is a asshole and I love him, maybe it'll be oc/canon maybe not we will see.., uhhh just a teeny character thingy ill develop it more later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26179714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RulerofPurple/pseuds/RulerofPurple
Summary: Dr. Mann is too important, too special to be stuck on a dead ice cube of a planet. He knows this is the one. He KNOWS it is. it has to be. He just needs to wait. God he hates the wait.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. The Destination

**Author's Note:**

> hey will I ever finish a story? probably not. anyway Mann is a comfort character and I love how bad he is. and I wanna see just what led to this..

In cryosleep, Mann didn’t dream.

Maybe that was just him-a personal thing. A small detail contained to his experience. There wasn’t exactly a _crash course_ on the science behind cryobeds and their effects on the human mind. If there was one-he didn’t have time to take it. Not with the fate of the _entire human race_ on his shoulders. His and Professor Brands’. And the other astronauts of course but HE-he was the head of this operation. The leader. The one who had inspired the others to brave this one trip mission for the rest of humanity.

No, Mann had been sent out into the unknown without much more knowledge than what he already had, and the brief explanation Brand had given him. The small stuff was unnecessary. He didn’t need to know how to pilot when KIPP was a fair enough one by themselves-he had his own job-his own mission. Assess the planet. Signal when it was confirmed that it was habitable. And sleep, waiting for his rescue team. It was simple enough. He knew how to collect data from the probes, he knew what made a planet ideal. He knew how to sleep.

During the trip he began to question how simple this mission really was going to be.

From Earth to Saturn Mann spent years in cryosleep, letting KIPP handle everything while he waited to reach the wormhole. The experience was. Artificial. Unnatural-uncomfortable. Mann had dreams. He dreamed often. Of his family’s farm, his time in school where Brand had recruited him for what was left of _NASA_. He dreamed of Amelia and Wulf-his..well he would say _friends_ but despite his charming and soft spoken personality he was sort of a loner. Sometimes he even dreamed of the curly haired wallflower who hung off the arm of Amelia sometimes.

Mann had dreams but all he could see in that cryobed was pitch black. He felt nothing, saw nothing. Somehow though. He could sense the seconds tick by. No concept of time but by the time KIPP woke him for a refresh and debriefing-to collect and respond to the logs earth sent him-he felt years older. Physically he was still 34, the age he left but he felt it in his soul.  
And he **hated** it. He learned then he hated the **wait**.

That didn’t bode well for the future.

His planet was a white little dot on the screen. White was good. White meant ice-which sometimes meant water. Or it meant clouds-an atmosphere-activity. Closer to the black hole than Wulf’s planet but way further than Miller’s. The middle of the two. That was a good sign right? _Goldilocks thought so._

It was still take a few months to see for sure of course-and months of wait meant more sleep.

“That’s the one KIPP.” Mann said to his travel companion, both trying to convince himself and stall his next sleep. He hadn’t had the time just yet-to develop his distaste of the robotic companion-to crave real human interaction.

“That planet-our work? That’s going to save **humanity**. We’re going to save it-together.”

_‘I have no doubt about that doctor.’_ KIPP replied-as human sounding and encouraging as any lonesome traveler could hope for.

Then the sleep.

Mann felt it all pass. Or at least-he felt that he..felt it? When dreams don’t come it’s easy to get stuck in the present. Maybe he wasn’t truly asleep. After all this process kept him from aging as well-submerged and kept in that clunky box as the universe aged and grew but he laid there-free from decay and time so long as the technology held up. That didn’t make it any better though.

When he woke up again he felt exhausted. Like he had stood there this whole time-months standing in one place, not relaxing or making himself busy to pass the time. He would never enjoy that feeling. Luckily he hoped-it wouldn’t last long.

KIPP stood over him while he adjusted to the waking world again-and with a smile and nod they set out to plant the roots of their new home for the next...well. **_Lifetime_**.

The small cramped habitat felt as artificial as the sleep he had to endure on the journey. White walls, perfectly place together cases of supplies and rations, two small cots-two?

Mann stood still for a beat, hands around his helmet in the process of removing the clunky suit.

“That for you KIPP?” Mann half joked at the tall smooth block of AI that was busy checking the life support and water recycling systems.

_‘No sir. Shelters are built for two..humans, technically. Doubles everything for margin of error-and originally the Lazarus missions called for two volunteers per planet.’_

Mann thought about that. Another person...what would that be like? Maybe it was for the best that what he had was the machine instead. KIPP had all the knowledge in the world-could brave the frozen crust without the need of oxygen or a suit. And until they confirmed the surface was habitable-that was a very good thing to have. And KIPP didn’t take up too much room. The shelter was cramped enough.

Mann didn’t need another person. The mission wouldn’t last too long anyway.

_He wouldn’t get lonely._

Days were 67 hours of light. Nights were another 67-colder, darker and stormier than any night on any part of earth’s surface. Much. Much longer than Mann was accustomed to-but that’s what you get when your planet orbits a black hole. Mann spent his first night listening to the winds as KIPP prepared the probes for first light. He thought, about the surface. The **true surface** of the planet.

The air he would breathe. The things he’d see. The set up for the first true human habitats. It was only a matter of time now. True the crust he sat was toxic and the frozen clouds were poisonous-but that burst of panic was childish. KIPP was right. The surface would provide more positive results. This was HIS planet after all. Mann’s world. And in Mann’s world humanity was on the brink of rescue.

_‘Feeling better?’_ KIPP asked, robotically making their way towards the wall-setting into it like some odd decoration.

“Never felt better.” Mann said lightly, brushing off the reason KIPP would ask in the first place. Sometimes. _Anger got to him._ But he cleaned up the papers off the floor and he was feeling hopeful again.

_‘Do you want me to set an alarm for the cryobed to wake you? Once the probes-‘_

“No.” Mann interrupted, sternly. “No I..I’ll sleep normally. I wanna be there to send them down anyway.”

_‘...you’ll sleep normally for 67 hours?’_ KIPP asked, the human in their voice too real suddenly for Mann. What, were they **accusing** him or something?

“If I don’t sleep I’ll do some work. There’s plenty to be done.”

_‘Plenty of waiting sir.’_ KIPP corrected, and then they were off like a light. Charging up.  
Mann felt...off about that conversation. A little too defensive on his part sure. But he didn’t want that dreamless sleep. Not again-not so soon. The wait was too much. No..he’s sleep normally. And when he woke the probes would be sent. They’ll come up with promise of a new life for humanity. And his next wait would be his last. Waking up to human faces again. Smiling..excited.

**Human faces.**

The shelter was quiet. Mann laid on his small bed-staring at the one across from him. When he slept he dreamed. Life back at NASA. Amelia with Wulf smiling and laughing like two high schoolers. That curly haired quiet one who wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was following Mann around.

Wonder how he was doing.


	2. Time to Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mann procrastinated enough. It’s time to sleep again. He misses the sound of his own voice and the impressed gaze of the fellow man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eerm two chapters in one day? Wrow. That’ll never happen again..

**“Edmunds!”**   
Mann’s voice echoed in the halls of the underground facility-reaching the younger bearded man quickly as Mann’s steps raced to catch up. He breathes hard-he isn’t the most in fit anymore. Not use to the running around like he did on his family farm. But the air he sucked in was easier to breathe. The air outside-above ground was sour. Toxic.   
  
Just another thing he was going to save humanity from...  
  
The man in front of him gives a nervous smile, tense but happy to see his fellow scientist.  
  
“Dr. Mann! I was just about to talk to Professor Brand..”  
  
“Good! That’s good. Talking’s _good_ right?” Mann questioned, his actual question not needing to be said. Edmunds knew already.  
  
And on cue he laughs, nodding his head.  
“Yes. Talking’s good. I..decided. I’m going.”  
  
Mann smiles proud. Pride in his eyes because he knew he was a master of motivation. He convinced Edmunds to be a part in the biggest thing the human race could ever achieve. _An escape..._  
  
“Yea yea Mann wipe that pep talk motivational speaker smile off your _face_. I get it... _ **’bigger than all of us**_ ’”  
  
“It is.” Mann agreed, the spark in his eye flaming with promise and hope for the future.  
  
  
“You’re gonna help us save the world!”  
  
Edmunds shakes his head but his look says it all. He knows. He believes it. He’s always believed it. But it was still hard to leave behind...Amelia. Brand insisted no personal attachments. They knew the risk.  
  
Mann kept their secret well.  
  
“I’m telling the professor I’m in. Only to have a planet named after me though.” Edmund smiles wide. Mann envies the youth in his expression.  
  
“...and _Amelia_?” Mann approached with caution. It didn’t faze Edmunds though who simply shrugged.  
  
“We’ll see each other again. Once she comes to pick me up.”   
  
He spent a lot of time on this, Mann sees. And though there is doubt, he nods in agreement.  
  
“Of course she will! Happy reunion. Then you can tell the professor and he can chew your heads off for this stupid little secret.”  
  
They both laugh. Happy, hopeful. Excited to go out into the universe-into a whole new galaxy. To save everyone...  
  
“Speaking of Amelia. You know that _**guy**_ -brown hair? Curls everywhere? Hangs around her a lot. You know who that-“  
  
Mann’s eyes are open.  
  
He’s looking across the dark cramped room-the empty cot across from him. He isn’t on earth, in NASA. Wulf isn’t next to him, laughing. It’s not warm-the sound of people just around the corner working on the station that would bring everyone to a new world.  
  
He’s on his planet.  
  
Alone.  
  
A light blinks to life-the solid black cube labeled KIPP stirs awake.  
  
Well. Not technically alone.  
  
 _‘Good morning Doctor.’_ KIPP greets as Mann stretched his neck.  
  
 _‘Ready to send down the probes?’_  
  
They send three for now. Each one in various locations across the long stretch of stained ice. The walk is long. Boring. At first the 80% gravity was...an _interesting experience_ to get use to. And the small talk with KIPP was well enough. But the novelty wore thin. And a robot and astronaut don’t have as much in common as you’d think.  
  
The probes dig deep through the ice, and while they march back to the shelter Mann can still hear the cracking of ice.  
  
Find the surface-he pleads silently to them.   
  
Find it warm. Breathable. Livable. Find life. Find home.  
  
Mann makes himself coffee as he pours over the data on his laptop. What he already knows about the ice ball he’s on-after the last two days. Long..long days.   
  
_‘Time to sleep doctor.’_ KIPP comments.  
  
“I will in a hour or so.” Mann says. He knows what the robot actually meant. He doesn’t want to go into that box however. He’ll feel the seconds go slower in there.  
  
 _‘The first probe won’t find enough data to examine for at least six months. And it’ll take a whole year for the round trip to be complete.’_  
  
Mann can’t argue with that. Still his brow furrows in annoyance.  
  
“I _know_ that KIPP. I can read.”  
  
 _‘Just reminding you doctor. It’s ok to relax. I can handle everything in here.’_  
  
“Give me another day.” He pleads. KIPP sounded human. Maybe he could hear the desperation in his voice too. Could detect it..  
  
 _‘I don’t understand why sir.'_ KIPP states blankly. Mann is reminded how..inhuman the machine is. Don’t get too comfortable...  
  
 **“Of course you don’t.”** Mann snaps rather childishly.  
  
“I have my reasons though. Another day. I’ll sleep after that. Got it?”  
  
KIPP doesn’t argue.   
  
Mann is finding things to do. It’s only a matter of time before the probes return. Find the surface. He’ll send the signal and with hope and luck he’ll see the closest of his crew as well-Edmunds, Miller. Simply neighbor’s in his large galaxy. Once his planet is home to humanity the wait will be worth it. He knows this.  
  
But for now....  
  
When KIPP is “asleep” and the storm dies down Mann is left in silence once again. Rewatching messages Brand sent him before crossing the wormhole-they stopped coming in after. Too far he supposed. Working on hypothetical data logs of how his surface would turn out. Organics-pure frozen water, none of this alkali ice and sub zero bullshit. His..imaginings looked so promising. So hopeful. The truth he hoped, would live up to it.  
  
Four hours into rereading his own reports, pacing the small compound and writing in his personal journal later-Mann learned something.  
  
 ** _He really, really missed someone hearing his voice._**  
  
Mann assumed all his life that he kept to himself. But did he really? He spoke so often. Enjoyed having others hear him-idolize him even. He was Brand’s protege after all. The other man to lead the others into the future. He encouraged others. Gave promises to the future. Smart, charming in his intelligence but now where was that?   
  
There was no one here to speak to. KIPP wasn’t a _person._ KIPP knew everything they needed to know already-KIPP didn’t dream or doubt or ask for advice.   
  
Mann’s true talents were wasted on a robot.  
  
And there wasn’t another living soul there.   
  
Was Mann ever, truly alone before now? No one on earth is ever alone. Not really. Mann realizes this a little too late.  
  
It’s only the second night. _Wasn’t it?_  
  
  
When Mann falls asleep, he dreams again. It will be his last dream in over a year. _He dreams of the conference room, walking towards the glass-seeing the station being built-a large project unknown to most people above ground. Their salvation._  
  
 _He dreams of seeing-in the corner of his eye, someone small staring at him from the doorway. Large brown eye half fixed on Mann. When Mann turns his head the figure has panic etched into his face and scurries off._  
  
 _Mann never learned his name._


	3. The Wrong One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mann's sense of self importance isn't enough to conjure up the perfect planet. Not even enough to give him a livable one. He can see that now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im in a rut now but soon...soon ill write the fourth chapter...

Outside the storm is calming. Winds die down and yet again the sky is light with the swirling frozen clouds hanging above-an almost perfect sheet covering the sky. The real sky, hidden. All around is white-save for the stains from minerals leeching from beneath the icy crust.  
  
The flags planted-once fresh and new and bright with their colors are worn down just a little more from the raging of the weather. Cut up, faded, slowly unraveling with the passage of time. For Mann-he sees it as a good indicator for how long it’s _really_ been.  
  
The compound isn’t as neat and stiff and stark white as it was before, either. Empty cases litter the floor, boxes strewn around. Books and dishes not in their perfect little places. Mann is more and more loosing the will and care to place everything back. He feels that also is a good way to tell. _Just how long it’s been._  
  
Out of the cold shower Mann sits down half dressed, booting up his laptop to once again scan the data chip plucked from the first probe. Same thing as KIPP said. But he had to see for his own eyes right?  
  
Had to see for the **15th** time.  
  
It was only the first probe. Two more were to rise and after that another three in a much farther location-somewhere only KIPP could access thanks to the limited oxygen. Maybe they landed in a bad spot. After all it wasn’t like they could exactly _pick and choose_ where the compound was set up. Essentially he _crash landed_ here-set up a base camp and started exploring his new home from the vantage point he was given.  
  
And what he was given was..well. A maze of poison, **dead** ice. A surface eventually-was what he would find. He knew that. It was **HIS** planet.  
  
It was still hard to keep that hopeful spark lit in his eyes though. Now they looked tired, restless. Despite the months..years? Of “sleep” he was getting each waking he felt more and more drained.  
  
This wasn’t right, he figured. You’re not suppose to feel this. Not suppose to feel the time tick by, the world move along, the day’s turn dark and back light again. Did anyone else experience this? Was his cryobed broken?  
  
No. If it was he’d have aged by now-noticeably. The grey in his hair hadn’t progressed yet. His features-though tired, were not any older.  
  
So it was him then. Was he the broken one?  
  
 _‘Good morning doctor.’_ KIPP’s human-adjacent voice rang from the cold block of machine that came to life once again.  
  
“Is it?” Mann half muttered. If KIPP heard him they didn’t respond to his bitter question.  
  
 _‘The second probe will be ready to collect in a day.’_ KIPP started, listing off everything Mann already knew like he needed to be reminded. Maybe KIPP just thought Mann needed to hear another voice. If he did what he needed was a voice from a human.  
  
“Mmh.”  
  
 _‘After that the third is actually not that far behind. A week-and in that time I’ll start combing the west of the compound for viable entrance points for the next three.’_  
  
  
“Shouldn’t they be more spaced out?” Mann questioned, just the smallest hint of concern rising in his tone.  
  
“If they’re all somewhere west and the answer is further east-we’d never know.”  
  
KIPP didn’t respond for a moment. Mann hoped maybe they were considering this. But he knew better. They were waiting for him to realize how...ridiculous that was.  
  
 _‘Location isn’t actually the problem we’re facing sir. The west has a dip in the ice-a cavern. It’ll take less time to dig deeper there. That’s the problem.’_  
  
“Location is **everything..** ” Mann argued back, knowing how arguing with a robot wasn’t exactly a winning battle.  
  
 _‘No matter what location we pick it will be nothing but ammonia and ice. It’s what’s underneath all of it what matters sir.’_  
  
 **“I know what matters KIPP.”** Mann shot back, the bitterness in his voice so new and foreign to him. He never in his life heard himself so..openly angry.  
  
“I’m the reason we’re here in the first place, right?”  
  
He’s tired of this machine thinking it knows what’s best-thinking it knows the mission. How could it? It wasn’t in Mann’s position. KIPP couldn’t have love for the human race not truly. It didn’t have the survival instinct that drove mankind this far-the..the fear. Of being stuck on..  
  
 _On a dead planet.._  
  
“Weren’t you going to collect samples today.” Mann said cooly, just wanting to be alone. Having the shelter to himself.  
  
 _‘You’re not coming?’_ KIPP questioned.  
  
“I’m not. Waste of oxygen.”  
  
When Mann is alone, he tries to think of anything else. His heart feels..sick. His soul itself even. Like the doubt and concern was manifesting into physical sickness. The only medication available for that was a distraction.  
  
It’s been nearly two years, he realizes. He wonders.  
  
How does everyone look now?  
  
He was the same but on earth there’s no time to sleep time away. Busy doing their part. Did Amelia cut her hair like she always threatened she would?  
  
 _“My father always wanted a son”_ he heard her joke one day, to someone he couldn’t see.  
  
 _“If you cut your hair then I’m gonna cut mine!”_  
  
 _“Aww don’t do that! It’s so pretty..”_  
  
He wondered if Professor Brand found his pilot yet.  
  
 _“The flight simulations are well enough. But what the Endurance really needs is a pilot. A real one.”_  
  
 _“And where are you gonna find a pilot? Not exactly a booming profession now in days. Everyone up there’s just farmers...”_  
  
 _“Weren’t you just a farmer when I found you, Mann?”_  
  
 _“A farmer with the highest test scores in my county!”_  
  
Brand was like a father to him in some ways. A good man. Mann hopes Amelia isn’t giving him too much trouble.  
  
 _“Those two-ever since they were little, Mann. Little bright balls of energy. And it hasn’t changed with age! They’re going to put me in a wheelchair some day soon just you wait..”_  
  
Those two.  
  
Amelia was his only child wasn’t she? Right he remembered now. His...nephew wasn’t it. His nephew grew up alongside her.  
  
What was his name?  
  
When the second probe was retrieved, it was more of the same. Poisonous ice. Ammonia. Alkali. **Inhospitable environment**. More of the same shit-and according to KIPP this didn’t bode well for the third probe to arrive in a week.  
  
His hope was wearing thin. And so was his patience.  
  
 _‘We knew this was going to be a possibility sir’_ KIPP said.  
  
No. He really didn’t.  
  
Not for him. Not Dr. Mann. It was HIS planet. He was too important...  
  
 **To have picked the wrong one.**


	4. The Perfect Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Planet, though not perfect, will do well enough to host the human race. Livable surface, breathable air-its everything mankind needs. The next home for us all, according to Dr. Mann.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ONE MORREEEE chapter to finish, this is so much fun..

_**"bermondsey"**_  
  
Mann stood at the mirror, washing his face with the cold water-setting in the reality of his situation. The cold had a way of doing that. Giving him...perspective. Washing away the delusions and false hope he had once tried to cling onto with all his will. The biting cold outside, it told him no. This is not a _paradise_ hidden-a gem amongst the cosmos, tucked away behind a black hole for the evolution of man to find years into their extinction on Earth.   
  
The stale cold air inside told him- **the reality was slipping through.** Through his artificial home and artificial mindset. There wasn’t any escape from it. From the fact that he was trapped. Sending probe after probe-demanding KIPP go further and further into the cold wasteland, it didn’t do any good. It didn’t help. No matter how many hypothetical results he created from thin air-the hope of the world rather than the reality of it. It wouldn’t come true. It was all.... **dead.**  
  
The cold water told him _he was alone._ No no, not alone like he had always thought. Not alone with that robot.  
  
 **Alone. For once in his life truly alone.**  
  
KIPP stood, still, lifeless. Dead. Shut off-decommissioned. The code word had slipped from Mann’s mouth before he even realized it. KIPP had came in after Mann demanded he leave alone-and Mann had said it. Nothing more than a solid mass of computer parts and stored away data logs now.  
  
Not alive. Not mimicking life. Not a personality to accompany Mann in his final days.  
  
Mann was alone.  
  
He didn’t know when he finally accepted his fate. A week ago? Maybe two? Maybe _months_? Forever ago when the first probe came back negative and he had that sinking feeling?  
  
Maybe he had always known. Deep down. When he was sent off. When he sent the others with him. He knew most of them would never see another human again. But that was the risk. To save humanity.  
  
 _The arrogance. That one man could access an entire world..._  
  
He had placed the blame on Brand but..he was the leader of these missions. He was willing to sacrifice the other’s lives.   
  
But apparently he didn’t consider himself on that list. Not until now.  
  
Mann ate his dinner, steps away from KIPP’s standing corpse. He ate silently, not so much as glancing at the still machine. Hours without hearing another-present voice and he felt himself slipping already. But it had to be done. KIPP wouldn’t have...agreed with Mann’s motives.  
  
Surely there was a better planet out there. Already giving the thumbs up signal. Maybe. Maybe it was Miller. Or Edmunds.  
  
Someone close enough..  
  
Mann considered himself a strong man. He was briefed-detailed on the possibility that he could very well...die. On his planet. Alone. He knew this. _He knew his reality._  
  
So he. Held strong for a day.  
  
 _And another._  
  
Eating. Reading. Writing. Sleeping. Dreaming. Dreaming of everyone back on earth. Dreaming of the new home for humanity. Dreaming of the people he’d yet to meet. Never see again.  
  
 _Another day._  
  
Mann considered going and continuing the mission. Sending another probe. **That was pointless**. He stayed inside.  
  
 _Another day._   
  
Mann slept. When he woke up he forced himself back asleep. He didn’t touch the cryobed. He was running out of oxygen scrubbers. Filters to breathe. His breath was running out.  
  
  
  
 **Another day.**  
  
  
  
The data was promising. Up on the crust where he landed the ice was alkali and the air had too much ammonia to breathe. But down on the surface...and there was a surface, the ammonia gave way to crystalline hydrocarbons and breathable air. To organics.  
  
 **To life...**  
  
The world was livable. The surface was. Habitable. There was a future on this planet-for mankind. He would be sharing this world with future generations.  
  
  
  
At least. That’s what they’ll think. When they see what he _produced._  
  
  
  
Mann flipped the switch to green-sending a “come and get me” signal across galaxies to reach earth.  
  
That night he slept in the cryobed.

  
  
_**And he dreamed.** _


End file.
